July 14, 2011

High School Reunion

Geneseo Central Class of 1991 Now
I haven't seen most these people since the moment they were awarded their diplomas, which is strange to think about because I went to school with a lot of them since Kindergarten.  But after graduation people went their separate ways and without things like Facebook or even email it was hard at the time for you to keep in contact with anyone.  I have been fortunate over the past few years to reconnect with a lot of them over the internet.  I actually joked that I knew a lot of them more now than when I was in high school.  You show up at an event like this having not seen a person or spoken to them in 20 years, but you know who their spouses are and if they have kids or not.  It really was kind of strange that way.  

Eric W., me, and Ryan M.
I didn't know what to expect walking in. Would people even remember who I was? Now I wasn't Mr. Popular, but I wasn't a total loser either.  I was stuck somewhere in the middle. I did play football, basketball, and baseball, but we weren't the type of school where if you were the captain of the football team you were the Big Man on Campus, I mean I am only five feet eight inches tall, hardly someone that could run with that title.  And besides you can't really call our school a campus, we had 75 kids in the entire graduating class.

I didn't go to parties until very late my senior year.  I was more content playing sports and doing my own thing.  It would have been nice to go and hang with some of the "cool" crowd, but it didn't bother me that much.  I was probably known for being a sarcastic jerk at times, something I still am to this day.  I need to shake that label, I mean sarcastic, really?  Me?

Jason J., Tracy A., me, Kelly H., Eric W.
I was worried too that I would totally blank on who a lot of these people were.  But even after 20 years you see someone for the first time and it's like you have been talking to them all your life.  All of a sudden visions of high school start rushing into your brain.  Things that you haven't thought of in years are now in the forefront of your mind.  There were guys that I played sports with, others that I worked with on the school newspaper, and it's as if we're living that life again.  It's like that with my college buddies, we head back to Syracuse and all of a sudden we are a bunch of 20 year olds, only we wake up the morning after partying, as 20 year olds in the body of a close to 40 year old, it can be rough.

Me, George D., Jason J. Jackie S.
Hearing stories of what these people have been doing the past 20 years can be kind of weird.  People that you don't ever remember talking to in high school are all of a sudden discussing their life stories.  I wish I was able to hear everyone's tales of the past two decades, but trying to fit it all in over the course of two days can be a little difficult.  You want to talk to people longer but that would be at the expense of someone else.  It makes me wish that the reunion was like a week long.  Of course by then though we probably would have been sick of each other.

Ryan M., Virginia S., Kristen Z., Kelly H.
It was great to see the success of some of these people.  A lot of them have gone on to get advanced degrees, mostly everyone seems to be happy with what they do, and those that were married have awesome spouses, including my own.  The other thing that I noticed is that we all produced some pretty good looking kids. There is definitely something in the Conesus Lake drinking water.

Some people have some crazy stories to tell, whether or not we choose to believe them is another story.  I for one have no reason to think why someone would make up a story, so George I know you have your doubters, but I want to believe that one.  It's just too good of a story not to.  

Kate B., Kelly H., Paul C.
Not everyone was able to show up for this event but it really was nice to see those who were there.  Some people that you just assumed dropped off the face of the Earth actually still lived in town.  We all looked a little different, some like myself have gained a little weight, there are a few more wrinkles, some gray hair, a couple of people actually have grandkids.  But in the end it didn't matter what we all looked like or what we did for a living, for the most part we were just happy to see each other and we had a great time.  Sure some people tended to talk with others more often and some of the same groups that formed back in High School were forming once again, that's just to be expected, but not something that got in the way of a great weekend.  Some were not happy to see their tormentors, but hey it's 20 years, we were all young and stupid.  I certainly wasn't going to let someone I hated back then destroy a weekend that I was looking forward to.  I know I have grown up a lot in the past 20 years and I am sure everyone else has too.  Looking back, there are probably some things that everyone regrets doing, but like I said 20 years is a long time to let things bother you.

Tony J., Paul C., Matt D., Eric W.
We'll probably have another reunion sometime in the future, some people were even talking about a 21st which I know won't happen, and not everyone who showed for this one will be able to attend. While it sucks to say this, I am sure I might not see some of these people ever again, but maybe others that didn't show up this time will decide to go.  It would have been great to see EVERYONE from the class but I know that sometimes life gets in the way of making that happen.  I for one would like to see everyone a little more often but if it ends up being five years from now, I'll take it.  The fact that so many people DID come back to town to attend this reunion was just awesome.  There are not that many people that can say they were in the Geneseo Central Class of 1991.  I for one am glad to have been a part of it.

Geneseo Central Class of 1991 Then
Special thanks to those that were responsible for making these festivities happen.  I know the hard work you all put in to make it possible.  I offer Johnna, Jason, Eric, and Tracy a most heartfelt thank you for everything.  To those we lost; Bob Berry and David Boutell you will be missed.

Please take a moment to support me in my bid to become Blogger Idol 2011.  Click here and scroll down to where the voting box is.  This week I (John Willey) am paired with Mama Mash so make sure that the vote is for the two of us.  Thanks so much!  Voting ends Thursday at midnight.


John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?

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5 comments:

  1. Very nice post! Love the 1991 pic...classic!!!!!! Glad o have gotten to know u a bit better here :) :)

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  2. Thanks Jennifer! I got to know myself a little bit better too that weekend.

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  3. well said, man. I think you speak for all of us there. Voting now :) JJ

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  4. Isn't it funny how much better we "know" our classmates now? Thanks to facebook, I have reconnected with so many of them. I've been out of school for 22 years now but when I head back there next week we're basically having a reunion. More of an "Amy's driving halfway across the country with 5 kids, so we're having a party for her when she gets here" kind of thing, but I'll take it!

    I can't wait to reconnect with everyone in person! I'm sure that I'll have some interesting blog posts when I come back!

    :)
    Amy

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  5. VERY WELL SAID JOHN. HOPE THAT YOU WIN : ) KHL

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